KINGSPORT, Tenn.— Playing as the No. 9 seed in the opening round of the 2022 AAC Tournament, the Montreat baseball team topped the eighth-seeded Truett McConnell University Bears by a 5-1 scoreline Tuesday afternoon, seizing the program's first conference tournament win since April 29, 2013. With the win, the Cavaliers improved to 32-24 on the season and advanced to the double-elimination bracket of the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament.
 
Pitchers dominated the headlines early as both starters threw up zero after zero on the scoreboard. For Daniel Willie, that meant a perfect three innings on the hill. The Ooltewah, Tenn. native struck out three Bears through those unblemished frames, and he retired the first 10 batters he faced overall.
 
Montreat had a few opportunities with runners on base in the first three innings, tallying four hits and a walk over that same span; however, Truett got the important outs in tense moments early, keeping the ballgame scoreless through three.
 
Truett McConnell (25-22) got it first baserunner of the contest in the top of the fourth on a one-out single to center field. Despite TMU finally finding a breakthrough on the basepaths, Willie ensured a breakthrough wouldn't come on the scoreboard for several more innings. Willie ultimately pitched 6.1 scoreless frames before the Bears finally mustered a run.
 
The Cavaliers were the first team to put something on the board as Rafael Padilla delivered his team-leading 14^th homer of the year, this time of the solo shot variety to right field to put the Cavs ahead through six. While the Bears responded to tie the game on a single in the following frame, Montreat launched itself back in front thanks to a four-run seventh inning.
 
After an error and a sacrifice bunt, the Cavaliers retook the lead on a Michael Bell single through the right side. Then, with two outs, Norman Kelly gave Montreat some breathing room on a two-run double left center, scoring Ryan Pereda and Bell. Daniel Wetmore added a little more cushion, pushing the edge out to 5-1 via a single to left field.
 
Willie entered the eighth around 100 pitches, and he did exactly what the Cavaliers needed out of their ace: he threw a shutdown inning to keep momentum entering the final frame. In total, Willie added eight innings to his NAIA-leading season total, giving him 106.1 innings pitched this year. The Montreat ace allowed just one run on four hits while striking out eight batters.
 
"[Willie's] phenomenal, and he's been phenomenal all year. He's come up with some big pitches… so today was definitely one of his better performances," said head coach Jason Beck.
 
Graduate student Jared Drayton pitched the ninth for Montreat, surrendering a lone single while recording the final three outs of the ballgame. After nine innings, the Cavaliers had a 5-1 victory in hand, their first at the AAC Tournament since a 5-4 win over Point University on April 29, 2013.
 
"Some of these guys were around that first [AAC Tournament] game we played a few years ago—it was [Drayton] to close it out and Pereda who had the big hit for us to get that rally going," Beck noted. "So, it was good to see some of these guys go through those slim times and then actually get a chance to enjoy a victory, not just getting back here to play."
 
Padilla led the way offensively for Montreat, batting a perfect 3-3 with a solo home run and an intentional walk. Bell also recorded multiple hits on the afternoon, going 2-for-3 at the dish. In total, six Cavaliers recorded a hit in the victory.
 
The Montreat baseball team plays top-seeded Tennessee Wesleyan University Wednesday evening in the double-elimination round of the AAC Tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Hunter Wright Stadium in Kingsport, Tenn.